Button's Manehatten Minute

Food!

Button Mash licked his lips as he smelled the food of his people. It wasn’t a single item, not even close. No, the food of a gamer was fuel. It was hot, greasy, cheesy, and Button was one of those blessed with a metabolism so fast that even when he ate Snips under the table, he didn’t gain a single pound.

And, with the rumble of his champion’s stomach, he knew where he must go. The flashing lights and loud sounds could wait. First, he was to feast!

As he walked up to the counter, he could see a big, burly blue pegasus with his arms crossed, and shaking his head. The small, white filly, who maybe got up to Button’s chest, looked down. She wore a faded blue dress with slight tears at the edges, and she tugged at the ends as the stallion kept talking.

“And I don’t care if we close in fifteen minutes, we do not give away free food, even that which we’ve already made. Got it, brat?”

Button bit into his cheek as he saw the small unicorn nod, but her body shook. He knew how it could feel when you came to the arcade with not much in your pocket, or if you’d spent a bit too much on the machines, just before gnawing hunger made you realize that your internal bet was rather incorrect. He looked into his pocket, and made a split second choice.

“Hey, sis, why did you run off?”

Both of the other ponies looked directly at him as he scratched the back of his head, hoping that neither would notice the sweat that had broken over his brow. Button knew he could just offer to pay for her, but with how angry the pegasus looked, he was hoping a little levity would help.

It did not, as proven by the stallion spitting out, “Oh, so you’re another freeloader, ay?”

Button swallowed hard, before patting the side of his pants, causing the bits there to jingle in response. That got the cook’s attention as his eyes widened, and he let out an internal sigh of relief. Sometimes, ponies wouldn’t let you pay for a ‘freeloader’ after they had chosen it, because any sort of charity was bad.

“Not at all, sir. Unfortunately, I was supposed to bring my little sis with me today, and we got split up while I was rocking it on Asteroids. Now,” he smiled wide at the small filly, “sorry for taking so long, but you can order now.”

The mare fidgeted a little bit, before brushing away a few loose strands of her orange mane away, and looking back at the imposing stallion. “W-well, I was hoping to have a slice of pizza, the deluxe nachos, and a refill cup.” She then turned her beautiful, hazel eyes to Button, and in her soft, melodic voice, she asked, “I-Is that okay, brother?”

Button beamed at her, before turning to the cook. “Well, can’t say I’m not used to her trying to eat me out of house and home. Luckily, I’ll say double up that order my good colt! I’m pretty famished too.”

The cook, not really tricked, but also couldn’t really care, just rolled his eyes. “Alright, that’ll be sixteen bits. Cough ‘em up.”

Button produced the bits, and happily gave them to the grumpy gus. Once he was gone though, his attention went back to the small filly who had grabbed his hand. She glanced away for a moment, before audibly swallowing, and whispering, “Thank you.”

Button waved a hand in front of him, giving her a huge grin. “Hey, think nothing of it.”

The filly looked away, before lowering her hand, and nodding. She didn’t seem like she planned on moving, though Button didn’t either, not until he had his food, but with only maybe ten minutes left in the arcade, he needed to decide how to spend that time.

With her.

With the machines.